Max Lowe - Left for Sheffield United

[Ambitious]

1 minute ago, Srg said:

Whilst you could be right, always worth noting another reason could be that he was angling for a move all pre-season or stalling on a new contract thus forcing our hands. Many possibilities without truly knowing.

Very, very possible - or at the very least a big pay day that we weren't prepared to stump up. 

[Heisenberg]

 

[Animal is a Ram]

Given the pattern of most of our transfers - suspect this one's been in the pipeline for some time, hence why he's not played much in preseason. Enough to keep him ticking over, not too much to injure him.

All the best to him, seems to have a level head on his shoulders, sure he could flourish in United's system.

[archram]

14 hours ago, Leicester Ram said:

Wish we’d seen more of him in a Derby shirt but a hell of a move for Max. Him and Bogle at Sheff Utd will be class, I’m sure they’ll move in together and will fare a lot better going through the same experience together.

Excited to see how they get on but even more excited to see how we spend the incoming money. Don’t know about anyone else but I don’t have a clue who we’ll spend it on.

On the Jim Smith principle of buying 2 players from the same county together?

[Rampage]

12 hours ago, Andicis said:

Tbf Brentford were interested in Max Lowe for a reason. He is statistically excellent, there is a great player in there, will take the right manager and formation to get the best from him.

What I meant was, why has he.not had more games here. 

[Rammy03]

2 minutes ago, Rampage said:

What I meant was, why has he.not had more games here.

Get the feeling cocu isn't overly keen on Bogle either, they had a bit of an argument during the game against Leeds last season. 

[RadioactiveWaste]

19 minutes ago, Rampage said:

What I meant was, why has he.not had more games here. 

Few injuries at "just the wrong moment" in his development, manager churn, this n that, patchy from....he could very easily become a "didn't quite make itfootballer"

[Ambitious]

I noticed something interesting: We won eight of our last 16 games and we lost six. Lowe only played in one of those eight wins and played in 4 of the six losses. He started only 5 of our last 16 games - we lost four and won one. 

I still like Lowe, so not to take anything away from him, but that's arguably the reason Cocu went cold on him. 

 

[Ghost of Clough]

46 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

I noticed something interesting: We won eight of our last 16 games and we lost six. Lowe only played in one of those eight wins and played in 4 of the six losses. He started only 5 of our last 16 games - we lost four and won one. 

I still like Lowe, so not to take anything away from him, but that's arguably the reason Cocu went cold on him. 

 

Yes, Lowe has/had a shockingly low points per game ratio whilst playing for us. I'd put that down to the balance in the team not being quite right, as well as being chosen in a lot of the 'tougher' games.

[cheron85]

50 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

I noticed something interesting: We won eight of our last 16 games and we lost six. Lowe only played in one of those eight wins and played in 4 of the six losses. He started only 5 of our last 16 games - we lost four and won one. 

I still like Lowe, so not to take anything away from him, but that's arguably the reason Cocu went cold on him. 

I'm a big believer in stats helping to support and argument - But I also don't think those are hugely useful

In a number of those games he was playing on the 'wrong side' of the pitch and the losses came (mostly) against top 6 sides - Who we just showed at the end of the season we didn't have the quality to play with (that plus silly mistakes)

I think Lowe could be a very good player and I very much hope he goes on to have a great career - But with Fozzy still solid and Buchanan looking decent I think getting some money for him to improve the squad and letting him go try the Premier League works for all parties 

[Ambitious]

1 minute ago, cheron85 said:

I'm a big believer in stats helping to support and argument - But I also don't think those are hugely useful

In a number of those games he was playing on the 'wrong side' of the pitch and the losses came (mostly) against top 6 sides - Who we just showed at the end of the season we didn't have the quality to play with (that plus silly mistakes)

I think Lowe could be a very good player and I very much hope he goes on to have a great career - But with Fozzy still solid and Buchanan looking decent I think getting some money for him to improve the squad and letting him go try the Premier League works for all parties 

In fairness, he played LB in all but one (RB against Cardiff where Bogle was benched for poor performances). He played in the loss against Bristol (12th), QPR (14th), Brentford (3rd) and Cardiff (6th). 

I like Lowe, but just looking at the trend of the season and his appearances - he seemed to lose his place in the team (rightly or wrongly). Forsyth played LB in the majority of our wins towards the back end of the season. 

[Dethorn]

I know an Aberdeen fan who loved him.

Personally I thought he could be the best out of Bogle, himself, Malone, Buchanan, Forsyth

But I get that he has not consistently shown in

I am sadder about him going than Bogle though to be honest, although that Stoke goal made me think of a developing Bale like full back briefly.

[Rampage]

So who are the obvious fullbacks/wingbacks now. Not obvious to me, anyway.

[Rampage]

Just now, Rampage said:

So who are the obvious fullbacks/wingbacks now. Not obvious to me, anyway.

We needed the money so we cashed in. Let us hope that we get good value for money when we buy.

[Ambitious]

5 minutes ago, Rampage said:

So who are the obvious fullbacks/wingbacks now. Not obvious to me, anyway.

RB:
Andre Wisdom
Mike Te Wierik
Festy Ebosele
Jordan Brown

RWB:
Duane Holmes

LB: 
Craig Forsyth
Lee Buchanan
Archie Brown
Jordan Brown

LWB:
Graeme Shinnie

[Rampage]

3 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

RB:
Andre Wisdom
Mike Te Wierik
Festy Ebosele
Jordan Brown

RWB:
Duane Holmes

LB: 
Craig Forsyth
Lee Buchanan
Archie Brown
Jordan Brown

LWB:
Graeme Shinnie

So we lost two and got te Wierk. That does not look stronger and we need to get stronger in those positions, notwithstanding our youngsters being more ready than I thought. So it is Wisdom and Fozzy.

[Srg]

8 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

RB:
Andre Wisdom
Mike Te Wierik
Festy Ebosele
Jordan Brown

RWB:
Duane Holmes

LB: 
Craig Forsyth
Lee Buchanan
Archie Brown
Jordan Brown

LWB:
Graeme Shinnie

Archie Brown so versatile. Played up front last few games. Think he's probably going to be a winger long term. So much potential.

[cheron85]

1 minute ago, Rampage said:

So we lost two and got te Wierk. That does not look stronger and we need to get stronger in those positions, notwithstanding our youngsters being more ready than I thought. So it is Wisdom and Fozzy.

You thought before this we needed at ADD players at full back?

Have you seen how few wingers we have?

[WilkoRam]

Can’t help but feel that a lot of people have seen us line up a few times as a back three with wing backs and now think that’s it for us, hence the worry about losing Lowe and Bogle. Cocu said it was about having options but also crucially said it was due to the limitations we currently have in the squad. If we address those limitations further up the pitch I would think we’d go back four most of the time and revert to a back three when required, with either the fullbacks stepping up into the wingback role or wingers/midfielders dropping into the wingback role depending on the opposition.

we’re looking at options and making sure the players and squad are adaptable to different systems, unfortunately on a very limited budget. 

[Ramarena]

6 minutes ago, WilkoRam said:

Can’t help but feel that a lot of people have seen us line up a few times as a back three with wing backs and now think that’s it for us, hence the worry about losing Lowe and Bogle. Cocu said it was about having options but also crucially said it was due to the limitations we currently have in the squad. If we address those limitations further up the pitch I would think we’d go back four most of the time and revert to a back three when required, with either the fullbacks stepping up into the wingback role or wingers/midfielders dropping into the wingback role depending on the opposition.

we’re looking at options and making sure the players and squad are adaptable to different systems, unfortunately on a very limited budget. 

As you point out there is a bigger picture at work here. 
Basically Cocu is shifting the balance/makeup of the squad from one with plenty of defensive options but minimal attacking options to adequate defensive and attacking options with the ability to have a second formation when needed.

Tough job to get it right with a tight budget but I think he’ll make a decent job of it!